Meat Care After You Get It Home

[>>>---WW---->]

I have two grinders and one commercial tenderizer. But I find that they all work much better if the meat is cooled out before I use them. I know a walk in cooler is the ultimate answer to the cooling and ageing problems, but many of us just can't afford the money or the space to justify one. So I have an older garage refrigerator that easily holds a quartered elk if I take all the shelves out. And it was yard sale cheap. I put the quarters in and wait a couple days or so to cool the meat down and I work a quarter at a time. (unless lots of help arrives)! This way, I can take my time and process the whole elk in my own sweet time. It is a good idea to place a screen of some sort in the bottom to get the quarters up so air can circulate all around the meat. Works like a champ with little or no added expense if you happen to have an old fridge handy.

How do the rest of you guys that process your own game get it done?

[Charina]

I do the same with a second fridge (albeit mine is in the basement). My take away from my stint in the butcher shop was that mechanical tenderizing is fine at any temp (although we always had 40 degrees or cooler), and partially frozen is best for grinding.

So, when I do breakdown (on the kitchen granite countertops!) I vacuum package large packages of meat I will later make into burger. The more whole the meat, the longer it lasts in the freezer. I don't want to grind unless it will be used within a couple months (even though I vacuum pack the burger). Whole muscle, or large tightly packed packages will last longer with better quality. When it's time to grind 10-30 lbs, I pull out one or two of those big vacuum packed blocks, and thaw in the fridge for a day or so (sometimes with a little assistance with microwave to get it started if I'm in a hurry). But I want that block still frozen, but soft enough to dent with a finger. Gotta do it slow so the center is not rock hard while the outside is to soft. Hence the time in the fridge. That is then cut into strips to fit in grinder neck, and away I go. Grind it partially frozen.

[Brendan]

I don't have space for an extra fridge at this point - so the meat gets cleaned up and dried off/out as best I can when I get home, then sealed in unscented plastic garbage bags, and put in a cooler completely submerged with ice. One bag at a time gets pulled out, processed and sealed over the next 7 days or so. I do put aside everything for grinding and making into sausage to be done at once after all steaks and roasts are sealed and in the freezer. I know some people say that it needs to hang dry with air circulation, but I've done it this way with 20+ whitetail and my two elk and it always turns out great. Next house - I want space for a dedicated fridge or cold storage room.

I like to grind before vacuum sealing and freezing for convenience, and I've never had quality issues even after finding a package approaching 2 years from packing...

[Heartwood]

Old refrigerator is how I keep meat until processing, same as most of you guys. We grind and vac. seal and have not had any problems with quality for up to two years in the deep freeze. We do age our meat for up to 16 or so days at a temp. below 40 degrees. Makes for some fine tasting and tender eats. My wife also pressure cans stew and makes ready to cook freezer meals while I cut, grind and package meat. Our intent is to be able to pull any package out to thaw and not have to do any trimming or knife work. It is a lot of work after a hard hunt but we have never been impressed with the few elk that we have had processed commercially. I think they just can't spend the time to trim as extensively as a guy can at home doing one quarter at a time.

[saddlesore]

I have access to a small walk in cooler,my hunting partner of many years has.A few years ago,he upgraded it by putting a Cool Bot regulator in with a window type air conditioner.It works great. Time in cooler depends on age of animal. After hanging, I cut it all up in one day and grind the trimmings the next day.My wife usually helps with packaging the ground meta. At times,my other hunting buddy ,also my neighbor has come over and helped.

When cooling,one needs to have air all around each piece of meat .
I have a 20year old $10 0Northern Tool grinder that has done countless elk,deer and antelope. A home made meat band saw that I don't use much anymore.
Everything cuts much better if the temp. is just above freezing.Grinding should be done at that or even when there is ice crystals in the meat.
Packaging, I use freezer paper that has the plastic coating inside , using a butcher wrap .I store in a non frost free chest type freezer.I also put8-9 packages in those 2 .5 gal freezer bags with the zipper closing.This gives added protection,but also makes moving the meat round when I am looking for something. I have also tried wrapping the meat in plastic wrap before the paper ,but saw no difference in .

At the end of all the big game seasons, I go thru and put all most recent meat on the bottom and during the year,eat the oldest meat first.I am currently working on 2015 kills

[Lefty]

Our moose we take to a neighbor, his hobby is cutting meat.
Otherwise the shop is clean during the early hunting seasons, We cut and package as soon as we get home, no matter how tired.
I have thought of making my own small cooler for when I retire,
Hm maybe the refrigerator idea is better

[>>>---WW---->]

Keep your eyes open Dennis. We were driving around this morning and saw one out in a guys drive way with a note on it that said, (WORKS-FREE)!

[Swede]

I really like the idea of processing my own meat. I would get it all cut the way I want. Maybe I will if I plan to come soon after shooting a critter. I don't have a grinder or fridge. Right now I just take it out of the cooler and pack it in the freezer.